1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cables used with portable terminals such as a cellular phone, PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) device, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), notebook PC (Personal Computer) and various electronic apparatuses such as various portable electronic devices, and relates to a cable apparatus for housing a cable when not in use and enabling to extend the cable to ensure a necessary length when used.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various cables such as modular cables are used for connecting portable terminals such as cellular phone and notebook PC to external devices, and if cables are needlessly long when used, the cables are cumbersome because the cables narrow down and messes up a work space such as a desktop and hinder carrying around or transportation. Also, if the cables are improperly handled, dusts may adhere to connectors, or the cables or the connectors may be damaged.
Therefore, arrangements have been made to wind and house the cables when not in use, for example. As this type of technology, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication Nos. H09(1997)-307801 and 2002-179341 exist as prior patent documents.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H09(1997)-307801 discloses a configuration for winding various cables into an electronic device as well as housing a camera body connected to the cable in the electronic device along with the wound cable. In this electronic device, a spiral spring is used for winding the cables, and since the spiral spring is wound back when the cable is pulled out from the electronic device, the electronic device is configured such that the cable is wound into the electronic device by utilizing the resilience thereof.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-179341 discloses a cord housing portion winding a modem cord. This cord housing portion can wind and house the modem cord when not in use and also can wind off an unnecessary length when used.
By the way, in conventional housing and winding of cables, only cables are configured to be housed in electronic devices or housing portions and it is disadvantageous that the housing operation is troublesome. If resilience of a spiral spring is used for winding up, it is disadvantageous that a cable is housed insufficiently when the resilience of the spiral spring is deteriorated.
Although Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-179341 discloses that a plurality of cables are housed within a housing portion, it is disadvantageous that a footprint is increased in the case of a unit with a plurality of winding mechanisms disposed in parallel on a plat plate and that a miniaturized electronic device occupies an usable area of a desktop and gives a bulky feel since cables are housed.